Toward a Decision Support System for Energy-Efficient Ferry Operation on Lake Constance based on Optimal Control
Abstract
The maritime sector is undergoing a disruptive technological change driven by three main factors: autonomy, decarbonization, and digital transformation. Addressing these factors necessitates a reassessment of inland vessel operations. This paper presents the design and development of a decision support system for ferry operations based on a shrinking-horizon optimal control framework. The problem formulation incorporates a mathematical model of the ferry's dynamics and environmental disturbances, specifically water currents and wind, which can significantly influence the dynamics. Real-world data and illustrative scenarios demonstrate the potential of the proposed system to effectively support ferry crews by providing real-time guidance. This enables enhanced operational efficiency while maintaining predefined maneuver durations. The findings suggest that optimal control applications hold substantial promise for advancing future ferry operations on inland waters. A video of the real-world ferry MS Insel Mainau operating on Lake Constance is available at: https://youtu.be/i1MjCdbEQyE
Cite
@article{arxiv.2512.11786,
title = {Toward a Decision Support System for Energy-Efficient Ferry Operation on Lake Constance based on Optimal Control},
author = {Hannes Homburger and Bastian Jäckl and Stefan Wirtensohn and Christian Stopp and Maximilian T. Fischer and Moritz Diehl and Daniel A. Keim and Johannes Reuter},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2512.11786},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
6 pages, 8 figures, parts of this preprint are directly taken from Chapter 6 of the main author's PhD thesis with title "Optimal Control for Efficient Vessel Operation: From Theory to Real-World Applications"